1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to golf clubs and more specifically, to an improved golf club iron head which utilizes a lightweight composite non-metallic material in all outlying structural parts of the head and a metallic insert comprising the face, sole and backweight of the head for durability and superior weight distribution.
2. Prior Art
Golf clubs irons are classified as those golf clubs which are generally used for intermediate strokes usually between the teeing ground and the green where the hole is located. This contrasts with golf club woods which are generally used to achieve greater distances required off the teeing ground and putters which are designed to be used on or around the green area for attaining the ultimate objective which is to sink the golf ball into the hole. The present invention pertains specifically to the golf clubs classified generally as irons. A typical golf club iron comprises an elongated shaft terminating in what may be called an "iron head" which typically comprises a hosel, socket or neck portion which is designed to mate with the shaft, a heel to which the hosel socket or neck is connected, a sole which is the lower-most surface of the head and which extends generally horizontally from the bottom of the heel, a toe which extends upwardly from the sole opposite the heel and forms the forward-most surface of the head and a topline which extends generally parallel to the sole between the upper-most portions of the heel and toe. Within the generally rectangular frame formed by the heel, sole, toe and topline are two usually non-parallel surfaces comprising the face or front of the head which is the ball hitting surface thereof and the rear or back of the head which is not designed to contact the ball.
All prior art known to the applicant, that is, all previously available iron club heads of which the applicant is aware, are manufactured from some form of metal such as steel which forms the entire head or virtually the entire head. Some iron club heads may use a wrapping of an epoxy impregnated graphite but still use steel for the main frame and the force encountering structure such as the hosel. In particular, prior art iron club heads typically utilize metal for all structural parts including the hosel, socket or neck which affixes the club head to the shaft, for the structural component that attaches the hosel, socket or neck to the heel and for all portions of the golf club head which come into contact with the ball or the ground during use of the club including the sole, the toe and the face of the head. Typical materials used for these structural components of a golf club iron head comprise investment cast stainless steel and forged carbon steel.